Water runoff control construction



Oct. 23, 1951 B. E. slEvER-r WATER RUNOFF' CONTROL CONSTRUCTION 2SHEETS-SHEET l Filed Jan. 8, 1947 INVENTOR.

l 2m [Y MINUTES Oct. 23, 1951 B. E. slEvERT 2,572,208

WATER RUNOFF cONTROJ CONSTRUCTION Filed Jan. a, 1947 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 /5TOR. I

Patented Oct. 23, 1951 7."

WATER RUNOFF CONTROL CONSTRUCTION Bernard E; Sievert, Chicago, Ill.,assgnor to Woodruff & Edwards, Inc., Elgin,

ration of Illinois Ill., a corpo- ApplicationJanuary 8, 1947., SerialNo. 720,742 s claims. (o1. 18a- 31) The present invention relates to adrain con- More particularly the present invention relates to a drainconstruction having means for limiting the rate at which an accumulationof water may flow into the drain until such time as the wa-l ter mayexceed a predetermined depth when the water is permitted to escape downthe drainat a rate equal to the maximum capacity of the drain.

In congested areas, such as industrial districts, the run-olf ofrain-water presents a serious problem. Large areas are covered bybuildings and other structures. When it rains, the water, instead offalling on the earth and being absorbed to a considerable extentthereby, falls on buildings or other constructions from whencepractically all of it ows to the storm sewers provided for receiving it.Consequently, when there is a heavy rainfall, the sewers frequentlybecome overloaded and back up, causing considerable damage. In manyinstances municipalities have refused building permits because ofinsufflcient sewer capacity. The present invention is designed toprevent the overloading of the sewers during Aa heavy rainfall andaccomplishes this result by restricting the flow from the variousexpansive areas upon which the water may collect, to a percentage of theknown heaviest rainfall in that area so that the water is fed slowlyinto the drain or drains. However, if the depth increases beyond apredetermined limit, such for example as would result in a dangerousload on the roof or other area, the water is automatically permitted torun off as rapidly as the drains can handle it. With the properarrangement of the control means, such an occurrence would be ex- E ftremely rare.

An object of the present invention is to provide a drain constructionfor controlling the rate of flow into the drain of accumulated waterfrom a roof or other expansive area.

Another object is to provide a control construction of the type abovereferred to which will permit the accumulated water to enter the drainto the full capacity of the drain whenever a predetermined depth ofaccumulated water is exceeded.

Further objects and advantages will be apparent from the specication andclaims when considered with the accompanying drawings, in which latterFig. 1 is a top plan view of a. drain construction embodying the presentinvention;

v Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view partially in Y elevation taken alongthe line 2 2 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a graph based on a uniform rainfall of four inches per hour,showing the rate of accumulation of water and a desired rate ofdischarge thereof through said drain construction. Referring moreparticularly to the drawings, there 'is shown a drain constructionembodying the present invention comprising a substantially bowl-shapedmain body portion I adapted to be placedin an aperture provided thereforin any desired type of roof construction, that shown in Fig. l beingconcrete. The main body portion which is provided with a substantiallyhorizontally extending flange 3 is preferably positioned in the roofaperture during construction of the roof. A downwardly directed tube 4having an inwardly extending flange 5 is provided at the lower end ofthe main body portion I. The tube 4 is designed to fit over a downspoutor other vertical drain pipe 6, a suitable ring or packing 1being'provided between the two to prevent the escape of any liquidtherebetween.

Thedrain is so positioned in the roof that the upper face of thehorizontal fiange 3 is substantially flush with the top of the cement orother comparable portion of the roof. The roof and the flange maythereafter be covered with the usual tar or asphalt and gravel 8.

Allip 9 having a substantially horizontal upper face is provided on theinside of the main body portion-I for supporting a dome strainer I0provided with vertically extending slots or openings therein. A ashingring II having a serrated gravel stop or guard I2 is secured by suitablemeans to the main body portion I. While various means may be employed,that illustrated comprises bolts I3 carried by shafts I4 pivotallymounted between spaced ears I5. Ihe dashing ring I I is provided ywithinwardly extending lugs I 5a having slots I6 therein for receiving thebolts I3. Nuts I'I securely hold the flashing ring lI I in properposition when tightened against the upper face of the lugs I 5.

With the construction heretofore described, any accumulated water suchas from a rainfall or melting snow could run off immediately to the fullcapacity of the drain and vertical pipe 6. Consequently, in certainareas such as industrial districts where roofs and other surfaces coverlarge portions of the area a heavy rain overloads the sewers and causesthe water to back up. In order to prevent this and control the flow ofaccumulated water to the downwardly directed passageway in the drain, abarrier or collar I3 is positioned on the dashing ring Il about thedownwardly extending drain passageway. A gasket i9 is recessed into thelower face of the barrier to prevent water escaping thereunder.'v Thebarrier is also secured` in place by the bolts I3 which extend up intothe barrier and iit into the slotted lugs 20 thereon. Wing nuts 2|engaging the top of the lugs 20 hold the barrier tightly againsttheflashing ring. I l.-

The barrier IE which is preferably made of metal, and as shown in Fig. 1may bethicker at the base than at the top, is providedwith an inwardly:olf-set portion 22. An opening 23 provided in the bottom of the off-setportion 22 controls` the flow of liquid through the barrier to thedownwardly extending passageway of the drain. While the opening 23 ispreferably round, it may be anyeother desired shape such as triangular,oval or elongated.

The area of the hole in the barrier is preferably determined withreference to substantiallyv the .Y

maximum rainfall per hour in the locality in which the drain is to beused. For example, if the rainfall, which is assumed to be uniform,amounts to 4 inches per hour for one hour, it is desirable that therainfall iiow off the roof at an averagerate of ten' per cent (10%) ofthe rainfall rate as illustrated in the chart (Fig. 3). Thus at the endof one hour of maximum rainfall the height of the accumulated water onthe other surface would be about 3.6 inches, some of the water havingescaped through the opening during the hour. Consequently the hole: 23has an area to permit the accumulated water to pass into the drain andflow oif by the end of nine more hours. This will prevent overloadingofthe l stormv sewers and at the same time will not result in too greata load for a roof. However, in order to prevent any overloadsA on theroof, the barrier I8 is of a height to permit the water to flow over thetop thereof and into the downwardly country the area of the opening 2,3should be based upon the assumption of a maximumV rainfall of 4 inchesper hour for one hour. On this assumption the area of the opening may bedetermined by the formula where A is the roof area in square feet and dis the diameter of a round opening in inches. Having the diameter of around opening, the area thereof may be easily ascertained by the formulaEf 4 If the maximum rainfall is substantially more or less than the 4inches per hour assumed, the orifice in the barrier may be made largeror smaller.

Instead of employing a single opening to permit the iiow of waterthrough the barrier, a plurality of openings may be employed in whichcase the totalv area of the openings is preferably determined by theformula above given, the same as when a single hole is relied upon.

While I have shown and described a particular embodiment of the presentinvention, it is to be understood that various changes may be madetherein without departing from the scope of the present invention and itis to be understood that all'such changes are within the purviewthereof. I claim:

1'. In a drain construction having a downwardly directed passageway,means for limiting the r-ate of" ii'ow of uid from the area thereaboutto said passageway comprising an upstanding barrier provided with atleast one opening. in a side thereof positioned substantially about andextending a substantial distance above-said pas sageway andsubstantially preventing the passage of iiuid within a predetermineddepth from said area to said passageway except through said barrieropening, said opening being of a predetermined size to limit the rate ofow of uid therethrough.

2. In a drain construction having a downwardly directed passageway,means for limiting the rate of'ilow of fluid from thev area thereabouttosaid passageway, comprising an upstanding: barrier provided with atleast, one opening. in the lower portion of a side thereof positionedsubstantially about and extending' a substantial, distance above saidpassageway and substantially preventing the. passage of iiuid within aprede.- termined: .depth from said area to said passageway exceptthrough said barrier opening, said opening being of, a predeterminedsize to limit the rate of iiowk of fluid therethrough.

3. Inadrain construction having a downward.. ly directed passageway,means for limiting the rate of flow of uid from the area thereabout tosaid passageway'comprising an upstanding barrier positioned about andextending a substantial distance above said passageway having aninwardly oiset portion-in one side with at least one opening iny a sidewall of said offset portion, said barrier acting to substantiallyprevent the passage of. fluid within a predetermined depth from saidarea to said passageway except through said barrier opening, saidopening being of a predetermined size to limit the rate of flow of fluidtherethrough.

BERNARD E. SIEVERT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record. in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,348,945 Hirshstein Aug. 10,1920 2,283,160 Boosey May 19,. 1942

